Shehnaaz pondered over her awkward moment with Amrinder a lot of times before letting it go. When she decided to forget about it, she thought, in no way she was changing the past – but she sure did change the future. She took this decision so that she would later teach Amrinder that though unknowingly, he had made her feel uncomfortable. She'd let him know that it wasn't a thing any girl would have bore with if she didn't know him. One of the major reasons she wanted to let go of that incident was that she didn't want to judge him on the basis of this incident. That was her decision, or say that was one thing she could come up with. Or else, whom could have she shared her dilemma with? Parents? Big no! It would have become much more uncomfortable to face them then, hence, she had made a decision.

Coming back to the current scene, she was on a call with her fiancé when she heard how freaking cold it was there in Delhi. Literally freezing. 

"Sachi? 10° C din me?" she gasped at the information he just told her. 

"Hanji! Just like Punjab it is." he replied. 

"Haaye, Punjab ki toh baat hi na karo! Inni thand!! Itthe Mumbai vich, sardiyan de mausama vanga mehsus ni hunda! (Here in Mumbai, it doesn't feel like a winter season!)" she sighed, recalling those golden days she spent at her hometown with her family during winters. 

"Ikk kam kar. Itthe aja! (do one thing, come over)" he chuckled and she joined him. 

"Ghar pe sab kaise hai?" she asked then. 

"Don't ask! Meri Maa naraz hai ke mai iss birthday pe ghar nahi ja raha." Amrinder replied. "Oh ha! Your birthday is on the 26th of this month!" Shehnaaz said, reminding herself because she had totally forgotten. 

"Ha! And you see it's on monday. Maa ko itna hi bola ke nahi aa paunga aur vo mu fula ke baith gayi." he said, chuckling in the end. 

"Oh, ek din ke liye hi chale jao na!" she insisted. 

"Nahi yaar, ghar gaya toh Maa aur rok lengi, mai khud bhi jana chahta hu. But the work call is too much to take a break now." he answered. They talked around for a while before calling it a night. 

The next day, Shehnaaz was in the office. Prepping up for a client meeting when Riya informed the designing team that the meeting had been postponed and they are going to go for a site visit. "Koi humse bhi puche ke hum kya karna chahte hai! Bas aa ke order maar ke chali jati hai ye." Shehnaaz muttered, dramatically. 

"Zulam hai ye! Bas kaam karate hai, kabhi break nahi milta!" she faked a cry in order to make her friends laugh. 

"Really?" came Sidharth's voice and it was sarcastic. 

Others were a little worried if their boss would take it lightly or not but Shehnaaz. She was friends with him, a pretty good one by now. She wasn't worried, instead she just composed herself and wrapped up her papers spread across the table. 

"Hurry up. You guys would be joining me there.." he announced, before walking out and making them follow him. They all made their way to Agarwal's new restaurant. 

"Wiring nahi huyi hai abhi tak? Light nahi jal rahi?" Sidharth asked one of the workers' contractors. He asked them to make it quick, because they all were localites so he conversed with them in marathi too. 

"Oye, ye kya codewords me baat kar rahe ho?" Shehnaaz chipped in. 

"Kuch nahi, tune kaha kaha ka kaam dekha?" he asked her. 

"Lawn me, udhar grass layering ho gayi hai, walls check, lamps check aur entrance pe glass door kal lag jayenge, false ceiling bhi lag chuki hai. Bas kitchen nahi dekha abhi tak.." she answered and strolled around walking towards the kitchen. A large room that consisted of long modular counters, there were shelves placed near every kitchen island. Everything made up of stainless steel, shining bright, looked amazing. 

"Woaah! So beautiful!" she exclaimed. 

"Yeah.." he nodded, taking a few steps ahead towards the sink and checking the water. They looked around further, to find the ventilators and a deep freezer installed and there was a store room too.

"Sab sahi hai.. Chalte hai.." he said. 

"Inauguration kab hai, 30th na?" she asked. 

"Ha.." he replied and with their visit the entire crew of 'Elite' returned. 

The next day in the office, Shehnaaz knocked at Sidharth's door, "Umm.. Sidharth.." she said, to ask about something that was going on in her head. 

"Yeah?" he turned to her. "Mujhe leave chahiye kuch din ki, inauguration se pehle vapas ajaungi.'' She sought permission. 

"Fine, just remember if you miss any meeting, it's your loss." he replied, stating the facts. 

"I know kal ki meeting postpone ho chuki hai. But don't worry, I won't miss it at any cost." she affirmed and was granted the leave. She was taking a leave to surprise Amrinder on his birthday, wanting to be with him because he would be missing his family that day. 

The tickets were booked but the main thing was still pending, the birthday gift! She thought of going for a watch and took Ananya's help in choosing one. The girls shopped for about an hour and then called it a night. 

"Thanks yaar Ananya! Upar ayegi? Chai pe lete hai, mausam barish vala ho raha hai." Shehnaaz said, climbing out of her friend's car and offering. Because it was 8.30 and Sidharth usually returned around 10 so they had time. 

"Sure!" Ananya agreed and they climbed up the lift. 

Putting the key in its hole and twisting it right, Shehnaaz opened the door to her apartment to find Sidharth in the living room with his phone. 

"Sidharth aap?" Ananya shrieked and the guy almost flinched. 

"Sidharth aap?" Shehnaaz gulped, not knowing what to do now. This man wasn't supposed to be home right now! 

"I-An-Ananya, I think hum galat flat me aa gaye hai." she said, whatever came into her mind. 

"Shehnaaz, you just opened the door with your key! What's happening? Sidharth yaha? Are you two..." Ananya was shocked, too shocked. 

"Nahi, there's nothing like you're thinking! Shehnaaz! Explain!" Sidharth replied, cutting her words through and went to his bedroom. 

"Ha, meri baat sun..." Shehnaaz came forward to enlighten her friend with the entire rented apartment thing. 

"Ooh! So roommates?" Ananya asked. 

"Ha! Aur please kisi ko batana mat! Log samjhte nahi hai.." Shehnaaz requested. 

"Ofcourse babe! I won't. But.. You know.. You live around with Sidharth! Have you ever seen him shirtless?" Ananya asked like a teenager, looking at Sidharth's closed bedroom door. 

"Ha! Dekha hai na.. Kabhi kabhi vo pure ghar me nanga ghumta hai! Kya yaar Ani? I'm engaged! How can I even look at him?" Shehnaaz seethed. 

"I was just asking ya!" Ananya pouted and laughed, leaning on her friend. Sidharth on the other hand, could hear them talking and eagerly waited for Ananya to leave. 

"What was that?" he asked Shehnaaz. 

"Ye toh mujhe puchna chahiye! Tu ghar kyu nahi gaya aaj? I thought you'd be home.." she replied. 

"Kuch kaam se aaya tha, jane vala tha. And what rubbish were you two talking about me here?" he asked, narrowing his eyes. 

"Kya?" she asked back, confused. "Mai nanga ghumta hu?" he asked directly, only to watch her laughing hysterically. 

"Sorry! Voh! Mazak me." she continued to laugh while speaking and apologizing. 

"Just shut up! And you know what, now I'm going to invite my friends over." he replied, to see her laughter die. 

"No, Sidharth." she requested just to watch him smirk. 

"Acha abhi mai jabi 2 din ke liye jaungi, toh bula lena." she suggested. 

"I don't care if you'll be here or not!" he replied with a straight face. 

Little did she know, he wouldn't do that because he never invited anyone in the past two months, so how come now. But, there's always a probability. 

"Yaar, kal maine jana hai aur poori packing baki hai. Please abhi meko pareshan mat kar!" she replied, for once and all. 

"Vaise ja kaha rahi hai tu?" he asked. 

"Delhi! Amrinder ka birthday hai! Gift hi lekar aayi abhi, dikhau?" She got excited all over again and showed him the watch she got. 

"That's a OnePlus smartwatch! 15 hazar ke aate hai ye!" he almost screamed. A watch worth 15k! 

"Ha! I know! Usko bada shauk hai na smartwatch ka, isiliye." she replied, enjoying his expression, wishing Amrinder's reaction could also be like that. 

"Abey mahine ka kiraya kaha se degi? Adhi salary toh isme gayi!" Sidharth was still finding it difficult to digest. 

"Mai bewakoof nahi hu jo bina soche samjhe lelu! Savings se nikale hai, the mere paas!" she chided, stuffing the watch back inside and getting started with her packing. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

guys.. i know you all hate amrinder.. trust me.. i do too.. lekin humari ye story sidharth aur shehnaaz ke bare me hai.. what I mean is.. shehnaaz being a girl who is very dedicating towards her relationship.. and she  will giver her best to that person.. maybe he's not the right one.. but shehnaaz is the one who can never give up without any bold reason..

and sidharth.. he is a man we love for his unspoken words, actions, care.. he is the one who is logical and sensible.. how can he have feelings for shehnaaz till she is in relationship with another guy? he can still be her guardian and best friend without being involved romantically.. so please do not expect them to fall in love as of now..

the story will surely have a romantic angle but with time and twists.. because I believe that the word love is not enough.. a story.. a life.. consists of heartbreak, btrayal, trauma, depression.. well not only the negative stuff but also.. care, friendship, laughter, joy, happiness, cry, fights and banters.. so lets just wait and let the story progress at its own pace!! 

remember it will always be sidnaaz for me.. the love will surely come in the way..

yours @sidnaazforever2004

do vote and comment!!